


I Must Follow

by An_Ever_Fixed_Mark



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Ending, Ben Solo Lives, Canon Compliant, F/M, Fix-It, Fluff and Smut, Light Angst, Oral Sex, POV Rey, Redeemed Ben Solo, Rey is not a skywalker, Sex, Smut, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Fix-It, Vaginal Sex, did I mention smut?, give Leia's death a purpose!, life is better with porgs, ok maybe a little more than light angst, redemption doesn't have to mean death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:15:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24675958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/An_Ever_Fixed_Mark/pseuds/An_Ever_Fixed_Mark
Summary: "You can't go, Ben.  We're a dyad in the Force.  If you go, I must follow and I'm not ready to go yet.  Not when we've just truly found each other."An alternate ending to The Rise of Skywalker where we get what we want (namely, Ben lives and some smut.)
Relationships: Rey & Ben Solo, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 8
Kudos: 50





	I Must Follow

**Author's Note:**

> I initially started with the intention of extending it beyond the end of the film and adding heaps more smut. When I got there, though, it just felt right to leave it at the same spot as the film....only ~~better~~ happier.

A solitary tear escaped the corner of my eye as I rolled weakly onto my back and observed the destruction in the sky above. Lightning surged upward from Palpatine's newly restored fingertips. This was my fault. I had pushed Ben to leave Kylo Ren behind. I begged him to turn from the dark side. I had been convinced that we would be stronger together. And we were, but now that connection which had flared so vibrantly between us may end up being our undoing, and the end of the Resistance. 

I could barely discern his life force – it was so faint – weak and shrouded in pain. There was still hope, albeit small, to end this, but I couldn't do it on my own. Despite being taught that all the Jedi who had gone before would stand with me when I needed them, it was Ben whose face I saw most clearly as I whispered, "Be with me."

The smallest surge in the Force.

"Be with me," I repeated. I _felt_ Ben's nod as he mustered what little strength he had left. "Be with me." And suddenly the chaos went silent and I knew we weren't alone. The Jedi began to encourage me.

"These are your final steps, Rey. Rise and take them."

"Rey."

"Rey."

"Rey."

"Bring back the balance, Rey, as I did."

"You're not alone, Rey."

"Alone, never have you been."

"Every Jedi who ever lived, lives in you."

"The Force surrounds you, Rey."

"Let it guide you, as it guided us."

"Feel the Force flowing through you, Rey."

"Let it lift you, Rey."

"Rise, Rey." I _did_ feel it. In that moment, I made a decision. Mustering every ounce of strength I could find, I rolled over to brace myself on fatigued arms. I knew they stood behind me, as they said. The encouragement of the Jedi helped lift me to my hands and knees.

"In the heart of a Jedi, lies her strength!" As the Force voice spoke those words, I understood the brevity of them, and I knew I had to get up because my heart was not mine alone. For a considerable time now, I had shared it with another. Ben's face flashed in my mind, and with a determined growl, I got my feet underneath me and stood, calling Luke's lightsaber to my right hand and igniting it. My breaths came in labored puffs as I raised my head in defiance and faced my grandfather. His attention turned to me, offering respite to the Resistance fighters whose systems had gone down in the barrage of lightning.

Rising from the throne, Palpatine's unnaturally glowing eyes mocked me and he took the slightest step forward. "Let your death be the final word in the story of rebellion." His fury unleashed a stream of his Force lightning in my direction, but I brought up my arm, with help from the Jedi surrounding me and absorbed the shock with the lightsaber. I rocked unsteady on my feet as I struggled to keep my hold on the lightsaber. "You are nothing. A scavenger girl is no match for the power in me. I am ALL the Sith!" He cried, sure that his victory was imminent.

No way. There was no way I could give up now. A new wave of determination swelled, and I pushed back at his onslaught. "And I – " I felt Leia's lightsaber press into my left hand from the place behind me where I had called to it. "I am all the Jedi." I ignited the second lightsaber and crossed it with the one already held before me. Shock and disbelief replaced the arrogance on Palpatine's face when I began to turn his terrible power back on himself as I advanced forward. Step by step I gained the upper hand, until with one final push, his own power reflected back on him and consumed him.

The cavern began to crumble. Giant, stone, Sith monuments collapsed, crushing the darkness. I watched until it grew silent around me. Victory registered vaguely in my mind as complete weakness overcame me and I crumbled like the stone to the ground. Somehow, I recognized the peace I felt as the start of my journey from life to death and I slid out of consciousness.

I was pulled from the brink of that eternal rest by the tug on an invisible cord attached to my heart _. You can't go, Rey. We're a dyad in the Force. If you go, I must follow and I'm not ready to go yet. Not when we've just truly found each other._ The words belonged to Ben, but it was as though I were listening to them underwater. "Be with me." The phrase I had used only moments ago – could it really have only been moments? – brought me back to consciousness. I was aware of a large hand resting on my abdomen, pushing the energy of the Force into me. Covering it with my own hand, I drew a deep breath and opened my eyes. Ben looked down at me, tears brimming in his eyes and love – so much love. I sat upright, from where he had me cradled in his lap on the hard stone floor, and studied his face.

"Ben." I breathed, mesmerized by how handsome he was, especially this close. My hand rose to his cheek, seemingly of its own accord, and I relished the feeling of being near him. I couldn't help myself – closing the gap between us, I pressed my lips to his, melting into the softness of his mouth. When I finally broke the contact, his lips pulled up in a full grin – the first real smile I'd ever seen from him and my heart melted. That was the man I knew had been there all along. I couldn't help but return his grin with one of my own.

The moment was short-lived however, as his body went slack and I thrust my hand forward to catch his head before it could hit the cold stone under us. It was only then that I took a full account of the amount of energy he had used from his own weakened and broken body in order to bring me back from the brink of death.

"No!" I cried to the empty space. Thinking of his words which had reached me, I turned them back on him. "You can't go, Ben. We're a dyad in the Force. If you go, I must follow and I'm not ready to go yet. Not when we've just truly found each other." I focused on finding that invisible cord which had tugged my heart. Grabbing hold of it, I yanked, hoping that he would feel it as I had. Tears cascaded down my cheeks as our connection grew weaker and weaker.

"Please!" I shouted. "Please help me!" There was no response and I laid a hand on his chest, feeling a sense of profound loss. A moment later, I became aware of the fact that I wasn't alone. Lifting my gaze, I saw the Force ghosts of Leia and Luke standing on Ben's other side.

"You were right to hold onto your hope in him, even when I did not." Luke said abashedly.

Leia knelt next her son and placed her hand over mine on Ben's chest. "We will help you, Rey." Luke stepped forward and placed a hand on my shoulder. I felt the Force flare around me, and I focused on pushing the influx of energy into Ben. He took a deep, shaky breath and his eyes fluttered open. Leia gave his cheek a motherly caress and placed a kiss on his forehead. She patted my hand and rose to stand with her brother, who gave Ben a nod of respect. Then they faded from sight.

"What was that?" He rasped.

"I couldn't let you go." I murmured as he pushed himself back into a sitting position and brought his hand up to my cheek tenderly. He held my gaze intently for a moment and then enveloped me in a tight hug. My arms wrapped around his torso and I savored the safety I felt within his much larger frame.

"Thank you," he whispered, without letting me go.

"I don't want to live without you, Ben." I replied.

After a minute, he reluctantly pulled back. "Let's get out of this place, yeah?" I nodded and rose to my feet. Ben struggled a little more to get himself upright, and didn't push me away when I offered him my support. We slowly made our way toward the exit. As we stood before our ships, I glanced back and forth between them. We wouldn't both fit comfortably in either one, but I couldn't bare to be apart from him now that we were finally together and he was finally just Ben Solo.

Before I could propose a plan, he said, "It will take time for others to accept me, if they ever do." There was a twinge of sadness to the last part of his statement. "But you need to celebrate this victory with your friends. We can meet somewhere safe after that."

I didn't like it, but it made the most sense. It broke my heart that the others may never accept him as Ben Solo. There were some who would only ever see Kylo Ren, and the atrocities he had committed. It wasn't as though I condoned Kylo's actions, but Ben was proof that people _are_ capable of change and I wished everyone would take a moment to consider that before condemning him. I sighed, "Yes, that would probably be best." I tapped my chin as I thought about our options. "Ahch-To." I said.

"Ahch-To?"

"It makes the most sense. It's off the grid, and it's the place where we first connected." He nodded his agreement and I gave him the coordinates. Climbing into Luke's x-wing, I looked back at Ben. "I won't be far behind you."

* * *

Setting down Luke's ship, I surveyed the joyous scene before me. Climbing out of the cockpit, I was met by the happy beeps of BB-8. Bending down, I assured him his antenna was straight and we made our way towards the crowd of people laughing, hugging, kissing, and celebrating. Emotions warred within me. None of the people here would ever be able to truly understand what I had experienced. Perhaps it was out of cowardice or fear, or maybe something else, but I hadn't told any of them that I was a Palpatine. They didn't realize that my fight was much bigger than they thought. But Ben knew. Ben understood. And despite the joy I felt at our victory and being surrounded by these people I had grown to love and care for deeply, I wished he were here.

Making my way through the exuberant crowd, I spotted Poe and Finn, and my heart leapt. Running to them, I grabbed them both in a hug and tears of joy and relief fell uninhibited from all of our eyes.

"I thought we lost you. I felt it." Finn said, as the three of us untangled ourselves.

"You did. Ben saved me." Finn gaped in disbelief.

Poe snorted. "Kylo Ren saved you? Wonders never cease."

I sighed. I knew I couldn't tell them that Ben was alive and that pained me. "Ben turned away from the dark side on Kef Bir. He came to help me fight Palpatine and he was willing to give his life to make sure I lived."

"Yeah, well he was still a murderer and master-manipulator." Finn scoffed.

This conversation wasn't something I could bear. Changing the subject, I commented on how many people had joined us from all over the galaxy. Finn and Poe happily forgot their roast of Ben and launched into tales of their battles. I excused myself and made my rounds, sharing congratulatory smiles and words with those I passed.

I gave Rose a big hug and she was about to let me continue my rounds when she stopped me and grabbed my shoulders, looking keenly into my eyes. "What really happened?" She asked.

Looking around us, I lead her to a more private area behind a large tree. How could I explain without giving her the whole truth? "Ben Solo saved me. I'd denied my feelings for so long and now it's all over and no one will ever understand or accept that Kylo Ren isn't really who Ben…was." It pained me to not give Rose the full truth, but I couldn't risk it yet. Her eyes saw through me though.

"Ben's not dead, is he?" My eyes widened in shock at her straightforward question. I shook my head and she grabbed my hands. "Rey, I might not understand it, but I trust you. If you say Kylo Ren is gone, why shouldn't I believe you? Do you love Ben?"

"Yes." I whispered, truly admitting it for the first time. "Yes, I love him and he's waiting for me."

Rose smiled at me. "The heart wants what it wants." Her gaze drifted across the crowd, finding Finn easily, before looking back to me. "I'll keep your secret until you are ready to share it with everyone else. Just, be safe, ok? I might trust you, but it will take some convincing to trust him." She gave me another hug and we stepped back into the crush of people.

I found Chewie as Maz Kenata was walking away. I placed a hand affectionately on the Wookiee's arm as I saw him cradling Han's medallion that Leia had always kept with her. "I miss them too, Chewie." He placed his furry hand over mine and gave a gentle squeeze. "Chewie, I need to ask a favor. I have a personal journey I need to make, and I would like to take the Falcon. It's more your ship than anyone else's, and I know it's a big ask."

The Wookiee looked at me closely. He seemed like he might ask me about where I was going but stopped himself and finally agreed.

"Thank you, Chewie. I will bring her back to you. Will you tell the other's I'll be back?"

"When will you return?" He asked.

"I can't say for sure, but hopefully not too long."

He nodded and I headed towards the Falcon, unable to hold myself back from Ben any longer.

* * *

Landing the Falcon on Ahch-To, I took a deep breath of the salty ocean air and stepped off the ship. Porgs poked their heads up from their nests around me and I set off to find Ben. Coming over a crest on the island, I gasped as I found him standing in the ocean, water coming up nearly to his hips. He'd removed his shirt and boots and they sat on the beach, just out of the reach of the tide. He dove under the water. When he resurfaced a few feet further out, he wiped the water from his face and slicked his hair back out of his eyes. I knew I was gaping at the way the water ran down the broad muscles of his back, but I didn't care. Sensing my presence, he turned and I was rewarded with an equally delicious view of his rock-hard chest.

He grinned at me and began making his way out of the water. His trousers hung low on his hips with the weight of the water pulling them low enough to expose the top of a delectable "V" at the lower part of his abdomen. I grinned back and headed towards him.

"You're here!" He exclaimed, as we reached each other. Not caring that he was soaking wet, I flung my arms around his neck and pulled his mouth down to mine. Without missing a beat, he deepened the kiss and grasped the backs of my thighs, lifting me up to his level. I wrapped my legs around his hips, and he swallowed my moan as I felt his hardness straining at the front of his trousers, making heat pool low in my belly.

I had thought this man was overwhelmingly handsome from the first time he'd taken his helmet off in his interrogation suite on the Starkiller Base. I'd known, even then, that Kylo Ren wasn't as bad as he wanted people to believe. I'd felt the conflict within him. Now that he was here and he'd turned from the darkness, his gorgeousness was even more breathtaking.

With greater restraint than I thought I had in me, I finally broke the kiss and pressed my forehead to his. Our chests rose and fell simultaneously with the heat of our mutual passion and I made no move to unwind my legs from around him. I pulled my head back to gauge his reaction, considering what he might think of what I wanted to tell him. "Ben, I want to show you something, but..." I began second guessing myself, wondering if I shouldn’t have just let him keep kissing me senseless.

"But?" He asked, prompting me to continue. He didn't seem keen to break our connection either.

"Well, I don't want to be insensitive to what you might be warring with internally right now, but I do want you to see it." I reluctantly unwrapped my legs and he set me down. He grabbed his shirt and boots and I took his other hand to lead him back over the ridge where I'd come searching for him. Finally, we stood before the ship and I looked up at him to make sure I'd not made a colossal error in bringing him here, but his face was unreadable. "The Millenium Falcon. I thought maybe you'd like to see your father's ship up close. It might help bring you some closure."

His grip tightened slightly on my hand, as though he were trying to steady himself. "I –" He swallowed audibly, and moisture brimmed in his eyes. "Thank you." I loosened my grasp on his hand to give him the opportunity to go in alone, but he didn't let go as he slowly began to move towards the ship. I followed him up the ramp and inside and he finally broke our grasp to run his over the walls and the panels. His eyes closed briefly as he took it all in and I felt his combination of sorrow, regret, and happiness through our Force bond.

Reaching the cockpit, he ran his hands along the top of the pilot's seat, undoubtedly remembering Han's voice and actions. "When I was little, he told me one day the Falcon would be mine, if I wanted it." He hung his head. "That was before he shipped me off to my uncle because he was afraid of my power, which was erratic and unpredictable at first."

"He loved you." I said gently.

"I see that now. It's just, too late." He sank to his knees on the floor, and the pain he felt made tears spring up in my own eyes as I shared it through the bond.

"We can't change the past, Ben. But we can shape the future."

He was silent for a long time before saying, "My mother died because she used every bit of energy she had to project my father to me on Kef Bir. To get him to remind me of who I was. And it worked." He gave a lopsided smile that reminded me of Han. "But it was just my father from my memory. It wasn't really him."

"He knew, Ben." I crouched next to him, and brought my hand gently to his cheek. "He knew Kylo Ren wasn't the real you. He and Leia reunited because of you. Because they both loved you and had hope for you."

He responded by pulling me onto his lap and holding me in a desperate embrace. I stroked his hair and placed a kiss on his temple. I slowly felt his desperation shift and he loosened his grip just enough to turn his face to mine and claim my lips in a kiss that was full of all of his pain and regret and fear and hope. It was rougher than his previous kisses had been, but I didn't mind. I matched the intensity of his kiss and shifted myself to straddle his hips, grinding my damp core onto the growing bulge I felt straining at his trousers. He groaned into my mouth at the sensation and his hands began to roam my body. His fingers dug into my hips pressing me down against his hardness. Then they were moving up my stomach, between my breasts, over my shoulder, back to one of my breasts, where he rubbed his thumb over my nipple which hardened under his ministrations. I moaned as I already felt tension building in my core from that simple action.

"I want you, Rey." He whispered gruffly. "I want you so badly. If we don't stop now, I might not be able to."

"Then don't stop." I replied, breathlessly, running a hand over his chiseled chest and defined abdomen. "I want you, too."

Lifting my arms over my head, I allowed Ben to yank my shirt off and he let it drop to the floor as he stared at my bared torso. It took everything in me not to pull my arms up to cover myself. I'd never thought of myself as appealing. I was just a scavenger girl from nowhere. But the look on his face shattered my doubt and fear. "You're perfect." He said, as though reading my mind, and it occurred to me briefly that he likely felt my emotion through the bond as I'd felt his. Bringing his mouth to the same breast he'd fondled earlier, I panted as he circled my nipple with his tongue before lightly scraping his teeth over the hardened bud. He nearly pushed me over the edge with that act alone before he switched to the other breast, giving it the same attention. Just before I tumbled over, he withdrew his mouth and I whimpered at the loss of him.

Grabbing his shirt from beside him, he quickly spread it on the floor and in one swift move laid me back onto it, pressing his chest into mine as his lips found mine once more. He let his kisses drift across my jaw and neck and then began working his way down my body with his skillful mouth. He ran his tongue across my collarbone and kissed back down it in the other direction, planting kisses between my breasts. He pecked a quick kiss on each still-sensitive nipple, making me gasp and arch my back off the floor. He continued down my body with little nips and kisses. When he arrived at the waistband of my pants, he hooked his fingers into the sides and looked up at me. I nodded once as I lifted my hips so he could peel them off my legs, baring me completely to him.

He knelt between my legs and slowly trailed his fingers up the insides of my thighs with a featherlight touch. Bending down, he followed his fingers with a line of kisses. When he reached my core, he didn't hesitate before bringing his hot mouth down on me and licking boldly up my slit. I cried out at the mind-blowing sensation. Without missing a beat, he flung my legs up over his shoulders and pinned my hips with his hands as he continued the assault with his tongue. He dipped his tongue inside me, hitting my clit with his nose and making me writhe beneath him as the ecstasy built.

"Ben!" I screamed as he finally let me have my release. He didn't give me any reprieve though, continuing to work me with his mouth as I exploded around him. I whimpered as his mouth pulled away, but it was immediately replaced by one strong finger. He massaged up and down my slit, coating his hand in my wetness and thrust his finger inside of me. I clenched around him as he found that sweet spot inside of me and teased it until I was almost immediately at the edge again. He pumped his finger into me and I groaned in pleasure. I gasped as he added a second finger, stretching my opening and continuing to pump me. When he placed his mouth back on my bud and sucked, I screamed his name again, over and over, and once more came apart, shuddering in ecstasy.

He continued his attentions until I came back down from the high and the stars began to clear from my vision. Tangling my fingers in his hair, I pulled gently, coaxing him back up my body to meet my lips, tasting myself on his mouth. I brought my hands to the waistband of his trousers, willing them to be gone. He sat up to push them down and kick them away and I stared in awe as he sprang free. He was big. So big. I reached out and wiped the bead of moisture from his tip making his head fall back as he gasped my name.

"My turn." I said with a wicked grin, and coaxed him onto his back, trading places with him. It was my turn to kneel between his legs. I eyed his length, knowing there was no way I could take him all the way into my mouth. I brought my lips down in a feather soft kiss on his tip and trailed my tongue down the shaft to the base and back up again, before taking as much of him as I could into my throat. I wrapped my hand around his base as I began to work him slowly with my mouth. His hands twisted in my hair, urging me to go faster and I could sense the restraint he was using to not thrust up hard into my throat. My name fell from his lips over and over as I brought him to the brink.

"Rey," he gasped, finally pulling my head back from him. "I'm so close, but I don't want it to be like this." I nodded understanding and crawled up his body, sliding my dripping center across his length. Lining myself up with him, I slowly took him into my body, making both of us moan as he filled me. When I had taken the entirety of him inside of me, I kept myself still for a second, allowing my body to adjust to his enormous size. Need to feel the friction of our bodies consumed me and I began to ride him, bracing my hands on his chest as I drove my body down on him. His hands came up to my breasts and he squeezed and pulled at my nipples, intensifying the sensation in my core.

He began to thrust his hips up to meet my rhythm and his hands moved to my hips for leverage so he could drive himself harder and deeper into me. In one swift motion, he swept his arm behind my back and flipped us skillfully without breaking our connection. He pulled out almost all the way before slamming back into me fully, and I gasped at the sensation the new angle brought. Hooking his arms behind my knees, he forced my legs up so I was nearly bent in half, allowing his thrusts to hit even deeper and I groaned his name, feeling the tension building. He began to tremble, and I knew he was almost there too. I reached my hand down to my sensitive bud, but he pushed my hand away to attend to the spot himself. The touch of his finger was all it took. His name fell off my lips and I clutched at his shoulders as he chased his own release. Seconds later he shouted my name and I felt him shudder as he spilled his seed inside of me. Lowering himself to his elbows, he let most of his weight settle onto me and pressed a gentle kiss to my lips.

"I love you, Rey. I have since the first moment I set eyes on you."

I caressed his cheek and smiled up at him. "I love you too, Ben. It has always been and will always be you."

He kissed me softly once more and pulled out of me, rolling onto his side. Looking up, as if just realizing we were still in the Falcon, his lips pulled up on one side and he said with a mischievous laugh, "Well, that's one way to claim an inheritance." I tried to keep the smile off my face, but I couldn't help it as I burst out in a giggle.

After our laughter subsided, I asked, "So, what now?"

He pursed his lips as he considered our options, which didn't seem very extensive. "Well, I need a new lightsaber." I raised an eyebrow in question. I hadn't really had time to wonder why he didn't have his saber on Exegol. "I cast mine into the sea after I spoke with my father on Kef Bir." He offered in explanation. I smiled at what that symbolized and nuzzled into his shoulder.

"Well, we should go make you a new lightsaber then." I agreed.

He stroked my arm absentmindedly as he continued, "And one for you, also."

"But I have one. I have two, actually." I stated, a little confused.

"But they are not truly yours. You need one that you form yourself, to fit your own needs and desires. My mother's and uncle's lightsabers are works of art, to be sure, but it is time they were laid to rest. We can give them that honor."

I nodded into his chest. "Ok. Then we can make them together. We are, after all, a dyad in the force. Two that are one, so we should start afresh together. Then we'll give a proper farewell to Luke and Leia."

He smiled and I felt the warmth of his love through our Force bond.

Three weeks had passed since Ahch-To when Ben set the Falcon down on Tatooine. I lowered the ramp as soon as it was on the ground and looked at the small compound of buildings poking out of the earth.

"Rey!" I heard him call as I stepped onto the packed sand.

"Meet me outside!" I called back.

Eyeing a piece of scrap metal, I shook off the sand and climbed on to slide down into the sunken courtyard. It made me smile as I considered how far I'd come from my days as a starving scavenger on Jakku. I heard Ben coming down the sandy embankment behind me. Wrapping an arm around my waist he pulled me back against his chest and growled playfully, "I don't like being left behind. I might have to punish you for that later." He sealed that heated promised with a nip on the side of my neck that made dampness pool in my center embarrassingly quickly. 

Grabbing my hand, he took the lead in exploring Luke's home and we both agreed that, as we suspected, this felt like the right place to honor the memory of the Jedi Masters. Climbing back up to the surface, I pulled a piece of sturdy red fabric from my pack and laid it on the ground between us. Ben placed his mother and uncle's lightsabers in the middle of the cloth and carefully wrapped them up, holding them as I tied a piece of leather around the bundle. Placing the lightsabers on the sand, I took Ben's hand and we opened a cavity in the sand, watching them sink below the surface.

Once they were fully covered, I pulled my newly created lightsaber from the loop on my belt and marveled at the difference I felt holding this one in my hand. It seemed to fit my grip so perfectly and I smiled as I switched it on and admired the yellow blade.

"You're right. There is something special about having a lightsaber that I created for myself." I reached up on my toes to kiss Ben's cheek. "Thank you for your help."

"You're welcome." He replied with a smile, as he pulled his own newly formed lightsaber and ignited the same yellow color blade.

We switched them off quickly as a woman we hadn't noticed come up on us said, "There's been no one for so long. Who are you?"

Stepping forward, I replied, "This is Ben Solo, and I'm Rey."

The woman studied us both for a moment before responding, "Rey who?"

I had no answer for that. My blood said I was a Palpatine, but I certainly didn't want that legacy. I loved Luke and Leia as my own family, but I wasn't truly a Skywalker. My head snapped around to Ben in shock as he said, "Solo. Rey Solo." Lowering his voice for my ears only, he added, "If you'll have me." A tear of joy fell from the corner of my eye and I launched into his arms, planting a kiss on his lips.

"Of course, I will. I never want to be without you."

"Very good." The woman said, with amusement. I blushed, having forgotten her completely with Ben's proposal, and slid out of his arms to face the woman with a smile as she turned and led her pack animal away. When she was out of sight I turned back into Ben's arms.

"I love you, Ben Solo, always."

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the first fanfic I've actually written myself. I've been reading a bunch of great alternate TROS ending fics, but just haven't gotten exactly what I wanted, so I decided to just do it myself. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
> 
> I'd love some honest feedback!
> 
> I might explore some Rey/Ben sequels in the future...this was fun! ;)


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